Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026
10:46
Sampling Cerebrospinal Fluid and Blood from Lateral Tail Vein in Rats During EEG Recordings
Published on: September 1, 2023
Bone mineral density with lamotrigine monotherapy for epilepsy
1Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin at Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53792-5132, USA. sheth@neurology.wisc.edu
Pediatric Neurology
|October 2, 2007
Summary
Lamotrigine monotherapy in children did not negatively impact bone mineral density accrual. Unlike polytherapy, lamotrigine showed no association with reduced bone mass, suggesting it may be a safer option for pediatric epilepsy patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Neurology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Epilepsy and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) can negatively affect bone mass accumulation in children and adolescents.
- While enzyme-inducing AEDs are known to increase bone turnover, the impact of newer AEDs on bone accrual remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of lamotrigine monotherapy on bone mineral density (BMD) accrual in children with epilepsy.
- To compare BMD z-scores in children on lamotrigine monotherapy with control subjects and patients on polytherapy.
Main Methods:
- Bone mineral density z-scores were measured in 13 children on lamotrigine monotherapy (no prior AED exposure).
- These were compared to 36 control subjects and 40 patients on AED polytherapy (1-5 years or >=6 years).
- Factors like ambulation, physical activity, and calcium intake were standardized across groups.
Main Results:
- Children on lamotrigine monotherapy had similar BMD z-scores to controls (0.52 +/- 0.76 vs. 0.49 +/- 0.7).
- Patients on AED polytherapy for >=6 years showed significantly lower BMD z-scores (-0.27 +/- 0.15, P < 0.003).
- No significant correlation between epilepsy duration and lower bone density was observed for lamotrigine monotherapy.
Conclusions:
- Lamotrigine monotherapy does not appear to interfere with bone accrual in children with epilepsy.
- Longer durations of AED polytherapy are associated with reduced bone density.
- Lamotrigine may represent a favorable treatment option concerning bone health in pediatric epilepsy management.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators
Ezocgabine or retigabine, an antiepileptic drug of remarkable efficacy, has revolutionized the management of seizures. It is a potassium channel activator, explicitly targeting the family of Q subtype potassium channels. It enhances the transmembrane potassium currents, regulating neuronal excitability. This action stabilizes the resting membrane potential, a pivotal factor in mitigating the hyperexcitability that characterizes epilepsy.
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...
01:14Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists
Glutamate is a fundamental neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, playing a vital role in neuronal communication and various cognitive processes. Glutamate stands as the principal excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Its presence is crucial for the communication between neurons, underpinning essential processes such as synaptic transmission, neuronal excitability, and plasticity. These functions are vital for higher-order cognitive processes, including learning and memory. The...
01:08Antiepileptic Drugs: Sodium Channel Blockers
Antiepileptic drugs are specialized medications that prevent seizures in individuals diagnosed with epilepsy. These drugs primarily function by blocking the movement of sodium ions through channels in the neuronal membrane, inhibiting the repetitive firing of action potentials often associated with seizures.
Sodium channel blockers modulate ion channels, particularly voltage-gated sodium channels. They block only sodium ion movement.
Among the most commonly prescribed antiepileptic drugs are...
Sodium channel blockers modulate ion channels, particularly voltage-gated sodium channels. They block only sodium ion movement.
Among the most commonly prescribed antiepileptic drugs are...
01:17Antiepileptic Drugs: Calcium Channel Blockers
Calcium channel blockers, a class of antiepileptic drugs, regulate the flow of calcium ions within neurons.
Calcium channel blockers exert their antiepileptic effects by targeting T-type calcium channels, which are integral to transmitting nerve signals in the central nervous system. These channels allow the passage of calcium ions, which are vital for neuronal communication. By inhibiting T-type calcium channels, calcium channel blockers effectively reduce the release of neurotransmitters and...
Calcium channel blockers exert their antiepileptic effects by targeting T-type calcium channels, which are integral to transmitting nerve signals in the central nervous system. These channels allow the passage of calcium ions, which are vital for neuronal communication. By inhibiting T-type calcium channels, calcium channel blockers effectively reduce the release of neurotransmitters and...
01:20Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein
Antiepileptic drugs, such as levetiracetam (Keppra) and brivaracetam (Briviact), have emerged as crucial tools in managing epilepsy. These medications exert their therapeutic effects by targeting the synaptic vesicle protein SV2A, a transmembrane glycoprotein primarily found in the brain.
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...
01:18Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators
γ-aminobutyric acid or GABA, plays a pivotal role as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. GABA pathway potentiators, also known as GABAergic drugs, are a class of pharmaceutical agents designed to enhance the functioning of the GABAergic system. These medications primarily treat epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures.
The key GABA pathway potentiators used in epilepsy management are as follows.
Benzodiazepines are a well-known class of drugs used for their...
The key GABA pathway potentiators used in epilepsy management are as follows.
Benzodiazepines are a well-known class of drugs used for their...